The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Austria > Administrative law and public sector

Christian Schmelz heads the team at Schoenherr (Schönherr Rechtsanwälte), which is known for its broad practice. Environmental law is a particular area of focus for the team, which regularly handles environmental impact assessments and permitting procedures for large-scale infrastructure projects, as well as hydropower plants and wind farms. Highlights included the team's ongoing advice to Vienna International Airport and the state of Lower Austria on the construction of a third runway, including representing the clients in appeals to the Constitutional Court and Supreme Administrative Court. Other areas of expertise are technology regulation and data protection issues, such as privacy law and newtech, and energy law; Bernd Rajal specialises in energy law, and counsel Günther Leissler focuses on technology regulation and data protection. Counsel Johannes Stalzer is also recommended.

Cerha Hempel is noted for its wide-ranging practice, covering environmental, state aid, planning and zoning, energy, air traffic, education, product regulation and healthcare law. Hans Kristoferitsch, who is 'hands on and understands the client's needs', represented the Republic of Austria before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in litigation regarding the awarding of state aid for nuclear power plants in the UK and Hungary; he also acted for the Austrian Power Grid in proceedings before the Board of Appeal of the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators and the ECJ. Stefan Huber, who jointly heads the practice with Kristoferitsch, is advising food retailer Spar on a variety of regulatory issues, as well as acting for a number of higher education bodies, such as the Institute of Science and Technology. Other clients include Vienna International Airport and Philip Morris.

Infrastructure projects, renewable energy, and banking and finance regulatory law are areas of focus for the team at Eisenberger & Herzog. Practice head Georg Eisenberger is known for his strength in environmental law and world heritage issues; he recently advised XXXLutz on the environmental impact assessment approval requirements pertaining to the construction of a furniture store, and acted for construction company Strabag on a mining project. Tatjana Dworak represented Windparkbetreiber Kärnten in administrative proceedings relating to more than 15 wind farms in Carinthia. Ulrike Sehrschön regularly advises clients from the infrastructure, energy and healthcare sectors on regulatory issues. Other key clients include Styria Media Group, Salinen Austria and the city of Graz.

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners specialises in environmental and planning law, regularly advising on environmental impact assessments, zoning law and licensing procedures concerning large real estate development projects. Team head Michael Hecht is 'hands on, solution oriented' and 'straight to the point'; he successfully represented ÖBB Infrastruktur in the Supreme Administrative Court regarding the Semmering tunnel project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Austria. The team acts for a number of public sector clients, including the city of Feldkirch and the province of Lower Austria.

The 'competent and friendly' Kurt Retter leads the team at Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwalte GmbH & CoKG, which is known for its 'great quality of advice with regard to the healthcare sector', as well as its focus on energy, infrastructure (particularly railways), gaming and telecoms. Highlights included advising T-Mobile on the regulatory issues, including licensing and data protection, surrounding its acquisition of UPC Austria. Newly promoted counsel Wolfram Schachinger is noted for his expertise in environmental law; he is advising the Austrian Power Grid and DLH Real Estate Management on potential environmental impact assessments, as well as acting for an increasing number of intensive livestock farmers. The arrival of senior associate Stefan Lampert from KWR Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH has also strengthened the team's environmental and renewable energy law practice.

The 'competent' Christian Schneider, who is noted as 'a specialist in his field', leads the practice at bpv Hügel, which advises on energy, telecoms, healthcare, municipal and environmental law, with a particular focus on planning and zoning and waste management. The team's clients include a number of municipal bodies and energy companies; among other matters, Schneider is representing Kelag and Gas Connect Austria in a dispute with the Chamber of Commerce and Federal Workers Chamber regarding the calculation of gas tariffs, and assisting the city of St Pölten with funding guidelines for investments by new enterprises. The team is also advising British American Tobacco on tobacco regulation. Other clients include the Association of Natural Gas Undertakings (Fachverband Gas Wärme) and A1 Telekom Austria.

Saxinger, Chalupsky & Partners (SCWP Schindhelm) covers public construction, planning and environmental law, advising on environmental impact assessments and the public law aspects of infrastructure, waste management and raw material extraction projects. Highlights included practice head Hanno Liebmann acting for subsidiaries of the Swiss Implenia Group on the construction of the Semmering tunnel and Markus Nussbaumer assisting construction materials company Asamer with environmental impact assessments relating to the redevelopment and expansion of a quarry and gravel pit.

Binder Grösswang is praised for its 'excellent lawyers and strong market reputation'; the team is known for its representation of clients from the energy, pharmaceutical and life sciences, banking and finance, and transport sectors (particularly aviation and railways). Johannes Barbist, noted for his 'great approach to dealing with problems' and 'industry knowledge', heads the practice, which advises on licensing, environmental, constitutional, state aid and regulatory law.

CMS' practice covers trade, environmental, waste management, state aid, planning and data protection law, with clients from the logistics, life sciences and healthcare, education, construction and energy sectors. Bernt Elsner leads the team, which also includes Robert Keisler and Thomas Hamerl. Strabag, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Porr and Nögig, the project for broadband coordination in Lower Austria, are among the firm's clients.

Dorda Rechtsanwalte GmbH advises on environmental, waste management, water, and pharmaceutical law, among other areas, and acts for a number of energy and telecoms companies. The team also handles constitutional issues; Bernhard Müller is acting for Lucura Versicherungs in an action before the Austrian Constitutional Court and the Commercial Court of Vienna relating to the collapse of Hypo-Alpe-Adria Bank. In the gaming sector, Müller is advising a consortium that operates casinos and lotteries in the Czech Republic on the Austrian gaming law aspects of its proposed acquisition of shares in Casinos Austria.